The Polythecnic Institute of Tomar (Portugal), through its BA degree on Culture and Tourism Management as well as the MA in Development of Cultural Tourism Products, and the Eszterházy Károly College (Hungary), through its BA Degree programme in Tourism, are partners in the project "TURICULT" which aims to tighten the connection between both countries, through academic development and the implementation of tourism actions in the areas of Tourism, Culture and Heritage.
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Translation:
Hello everyone!
I am speaking from the Polytechnic Institute of Tomar with regard to World Tourism Day, which is celebrated on the 27th of September, that is, today.
I am the Head of the BA degree in Culture and Tourism Management, as well as the Director of the MA degree in Development of Cultural Tourism Products.
This year's theme is "Tourism and Water" and, this way, the World Tourism Organization calls our attention to the need to safeguard and preserve this natural resource, which is scarce, unique and, because of that, we have a civil, professional, political, etc obligation to bear this in mind. So, when it comes to attracting tourists to destinations like Portugal, our natural landscapes, already, act as tourist catalysts. Then, one must also consider the task of turning those resources into tourism products. However, that transformation must be done in harmony with present-day ethical as well as business and sustainability concerns.
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I find myself next to the Mouchão Wheel, which is an ex-libris of Tomar. Water has always been an ever-present element, both in the past and present, and, most certainly, in the future as far as the city's development is concerned.
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We come across water everywhere because water can be found not only in the [river] Nabão, but also in the water oriented city planning scheme. We are now approaching an old paper factory. Paper was, and still is, an extremely important product in this region and this factory's manufacturing process is still, very much, connected to the river.
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We are at the junction that will take us to the Pegões aqueduct. This aqueduct is a construction credited to Filipe Terzi, hence it has a deep relationship with water, and tourism, I dare say cultural tourism, may use this architectural resource to its own advantage since it has great tourism potential. The water was transferred down to the Convent of Christ through these conduits and all of these arches were built so that the water could be directed from the water spring to the Convent of Christ.
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We are now in the left bank of the river Nabão which is the bank of the city's foundation. On a closer look, we will notice that water was able to link tradition with modernity. The modern side of the city, on my right, is equivalent to the older side, on my left, which ends with the Church of Santa Maria do Olival -- Tomar's founding church.
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To end our World Tourism Day contribution, we would like to highlight the fact that water is a scarce and unique resource, important to all regions, and that tourism must also contribute to its safeguard.